The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-21
INTERNAL REEVE WE AND
THE TARIFF.

INTERNAL REVENUE AND
THE TARIFF.
We are unable to see the common
sense, the Justice, patriotism or the
Democracy, in taking the tax off OF
whiskey. tobacco and beer and then
leave tue tax on hats. shoes, blank
cts, shifts. clothing of every kind.
grub hees..axes, carts. wagons. plows,
trace chains and three thousand and
seven hundred other articles Of daily
consumption by the common peo-
pie. It may be genuine unadulter>
ated Democracy ;but lift is.the Lord
deliver us from such. PearsOa-and
his negroes, and a great many good
honest DE- mocrats want it done, but
really we can't set it in that light.
Certainly the tobacco grover, and
tn. whiskey-maker does not pay the
tax. Illineis. we believe, pays about
$40, 100000 internal tax, yet the
people of Illinois de not pay on
cent more of this twenty million do
lars than the citizens of any other
state, unless they drink more whis-
key and chew more tobacco per
head than citizens of other
states. The wbiskey drinkers and
tobacco chewers pay The tax and
not the growers and producers OF
these two articles. .Three-foarths Of
all the 5000, 100000 custom duties
are collected and paid to the GOV
eminent in the city of New York, by
the importers, yet this two hundred
million dollars is not paid by New
York or the citizens of New York,
but bv the consumers of these i'm
ported goods scattered all the way
from the Atlantic to the Pacific
oceans.
The importer Of the city Of New
York could with as much truth say l
pay this 500. 600. 900 to the Federal
government, as the whiskey-maker
or tobacco grower can cay I pay the
tax on these articles to the Federal
government. The tax on whiskey
and tobacco does not affect or op-
press the grower Of tObacco and the
producer of W hiskey. any more than
the tariff on imported goods affects
or oppre-ses the importer or the
citizens of the city Of New York.
The consumers of whiskey, tobac-
CO and imported goode pay all the
taxes on these articles. And the
Oniy question now for Democrat. =
Statesman and honest man to cen>
slider, is, VII, Their be will take the
tax off OF these Injuries, whiskey
tobacco and beer, and leave it on all
the necessaries of life that must OF
necessity be used by the whole body
of theAmerican people to sustain life
ltthere is mere statesmanship,jus Justice
and Democracy In Supplying the
American people with Cheap whis-
kew and tobacco. than there would
re IN supplying them with cheap
clothing, hats, shoes, blankets, sugar
molasses. bread meat, trace chains
and thousand other articles OF
daily use among the poof people
then the tex ought to be taken off oil
these luxuries, otherwise not. II
MIR. Randall. and his Republican
allies can succeed il abollshi.g the
$4,000 600 of internal revenue on
whiskey and tobacco. they will have
succeeded in fastening the present
rate Of tariff or higher rate upon the
people for the next decade at least
If this Sill, 900. coo shall be cut off
that will get rid of the surplus in tile
Treasury but it will increase and
prolOng the burdens of the people
We are not in favor Of anv such
Democracy, statesmanship or policy
We would blot out thu. inferno
method Of collecting the taxes W.
weuld do away with the spies, pimpt
and red legged gr4ss-hoppsrs
but We would retain the tax On these
articles, until, We could get some o.
the tax off of the Poor mans hat
coat. blanket, trace chains, ant
other necessarles of life. Then anG
not until then would we take.the ts,
off whiskey and tobacco.